North Shore Road Trip: Lake Superior
The Minnesota North Shore of Lake Superior is one of the most beautiful coastlines in the United States! Come with me on a road trip along the North Shore Scenic Drive—I’ll show you the best stops along the way, from candy to rocks, from stunning state parks to a glorious harbor town.
Taking a road trip to the North Shore is one of my absolute favorite things to do.
Drive fast and furious the first 150 miles north on busy freeway 35N to get the heck out of Dodge (the metropolitan area). After about 100 miles, you’ll notice things start to slow down.
Soon there are more trees and farms than housing developments. Next, lots of trees. And then we hit the lake!
First stop Duluth, where the Minnesota North Shore begins
(150 miles north of the Twin Cities)
I grew up in Duluth, and it always feels a bit like coming home. After ascending a hill, the lake and the harbor spread out below. That view always gives me a thrill.
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We stopped at the scenic overlook just before Duluth and discovered a piece of artwork that was new to me, though it’s been there since 1976! Coincidentally, the year my family moved away from Duluth.
The stainless steel sculpture functions as a metaphor, tying the horizontal lines of the land and Lake Superior together at the point of intersection with the city of Duluth. Duluth’s harbor is a gateway to Minnesota’s North Shore, and to the whole wide world as well, through the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway.
In case you didn’t know (I didn’t. I learn so much through this darn blog writing) the St. Lawrence Seaway is an international waterway over 2,300 miles long. It links the great lakes and the St. Lawrence river with the Atlantic ocean, providing passage for oceangoing vessels. Duluth is the furthest inland port.
Created during Schlegell’s time as director of graduate studies in sculpture at Yale, The Gate measures 40 feet long and 34 feet high and has an estimated mass of 10,000 pounds. Whew!
There’s a lot to see and do in the city of Duluth, but that’s for another post, and another trip. We had to get going to reach our campsite before dark, and to make what I consider a very necessary stop. The Great Lakes Candy Kitchen in Knife River!
North Shore Candy binge in Knife River
(20 miles north of Duluth)
Knife River is a short drive from Duluth on Scenic Highway 61, a state highway that runs right alongside Lake Superior from Duluth all the way up to the Canadian border. Highway 61 (otherwise known as the North Shore Scenic Drive) is a two-lane road with killer views of the lake all the way. The North Shore Drive is a designated All-American Road.
To earn the All-American Road designation, a scenic byway must be nationally significant with one-of-a-kind features that don’t exist anywhere else. There are only 37 All-American Roads in the country. These roads are considered the best of the best.
National Scenic Byways are roads with outstanding scenic, historic, cultural, natural, recreational, or archeological qualities. All-American Roads possess several of these qualities and are considered destinations in themselves.
My dear friend Mark introduced me to the candy kitchen, like to so many good foodie spots. A couple of years ago we came to Duluth for the Tall Ships festival. Afterward we had a picnic in Knife River. We stopped at the candy shop then took our picnic to Knife River’s beautiful public beach and chowed down.
Beary interesting
On this occasion, Bee and I took some time to explore all the delights outside the Great Candy Kitchen. I don’t remember seeing them before.
In brief, there’s a lot of bears. There’s stuff you can stick your face in and take a picture (Most kid-sized. Of course, that didn’t stop us). All reminding me of a different Minnesota roadside attraction, Treasure City, but without the creepiness factor.
The candy
GL Candy Kitchen has a wonderful selection of handmade chocolates and candies, as well as a few imports.
I’m a big fan of the grapefruit slices. I bought half a pound, should have bought more. Because Bee discovered she is a big fan of them, too.
It’s rather hard to choose among the large selection of chocolates, so I just got a bunch. The ginger dips are fantastic, loved the toffee, love the mint meltaways. I especially love the toffee because Bee doesn’t like it and therefore I get to eat it ALL. Bahahaha.
$25 worth of candy later, we staggered out. A friend reminded me I should not keep the candy in the tent. Because of bears. Real bears. I’m glad to report I remembered this precaution.
Rocks in Beaver Bay
(50 miles north of Duluth)
Okay, confession time: I love rocks. I’ve had this problem since I was a kid. I especially love agates, and I can spend hours rockhunting on Lake Superior.
At the Beaver Bay Agate Shop and Museum, I can indulge my passion. This small, family-owned business specializes in my favorite local rocks: Lake Superior agate, Thomsonite, and Isle Royale greenstone.
Thomsonite and Isle Royale greenstone are rare semi-precious gemstones. The type of Thomsonite with concentric bands is most well-known at Thomsonite Beach on the north shore.
Isle Royale is an island in the northwest part of the lake, and part of the state of Michigan. The island and the 450 smaller islands surrounding it make up Isle Royale National Park.
The shop has been around since 1946. I first stopped there the last time I went up to the Superior North Shore. I had passed by many times and wanted to stop, but could not for one reason or another, probably lacking the agreement of my driving partner.
But that time, I was traveling solo, so—I do what I want! Now I wouldn’t dream of not stopping to see what’s new.
In addition to an incredible collection of local rocks, the museum features gorgeous rocks from around the world, such as this calcite from China (top left, below) and malachite from Africa (top right below).
The fossils are fascinating. Bottom left is ammonite from Madagascar, estimated to be 150–70 million years old, and on the bottom right, a beautiful calcified dragonfly!
State Parks Galore
(Cascade River: 100 miles north of Duluth)
The Minnesota North Shore is rich in state parks. There’s one beautiful park after another along the North Shore Drive, from Duluth all the way up to Grand Portage at the Canadian border.
Eight, to be specific: Gooseberry Falls, Split Rock Lighthouse, Tettegouche, George Crosby Manitou, Temperance River, Cascade River, Judge C.R. Magney, and Grand Portage State Parks. To learn more about a number of these parks, join my friend Karen on her Minnesota State Park Challenge.
Cascade River State Park was our destination on this trip, and you can read all about it in my next post. Here’s a taste of the beauty we saw there.
Grand Marais, the Jewel of the Lake Superior North Shore
(110 miles north of Duluth)
The little harbor village of Grand Marais has been around a long time. First inhabited by the Anishinaabe (also known as the Ojibwe), it became a fur trading post in the 1700s.
It was the French Voyageurs who termed the settled village Grand Marais. Later it was a shipping and transport hub, as the natural harbor made it one of few places to set safely ashore. For many decades, large ships were the main means of transport for goods, services, and people.
Minnesota’s oldest art colony
These days, Grand Marais is a quirky, artsy, and beautifully scenic small town that swells a bit with summer visitors. Nestled between the Sawtooth Mountains and the gorgeous North Shore of Lake Superior, it’s a charming place.
Grand Marais is also the oldest art colony in Minnesota, as evidenced by the abundance of art galleries featuring the work of local and regional artists.
A hub for regional arts, music, and crafts, Grand Marais is home to North House Folk School, where a friend is currently taking a class in rug weaving. Popular courses include woodcarving, rosemaling (traditional Norwegian painting) and boatbuilding. You can even bury yourself in your work by building your own casket. (!)
The North Shore’s Shopping and Eating Destination
Shopping is fun with lots of little stores, including bookstores, art galleries and antique shops. One of the gift shops has delicious housemade fudge.
Grand Marais now has a very nice co-op, a good place to buy your fruit and veg if you’re self-catering. They had some wonderful hot soups that made up our dinner one night. Note: many shops and restaurants close or have reduced hours during the off-season.
We had a rainy day our first full day, so we decided to spend it in Grand Marais and at Naniboujou. We wandered around the picturesque harbor and walked out to Artist’s Point.
There are often painters at Artist’s Point recreating the view of sailboats, the lighthouse, and Lake Superior. Not so that day, it was a bit chilly.
Cook County Museum
We visited the Cook County Museum, housed in what was the lighthouse keeper’s home in the 1880s. Now a historic property, this is a great little museum. There we learned that the original Grand Marais lighthouse, built in 1885, was the first lighthouse on the North Shore.
Gunflint Trail Scenic Byway: to the Wilderness!
From Grand Marais, you can set out on the Gunflint Trail. Historically a footpath for fur traders and travelers from inland lakes to Lake Superior, the Gunflint Trail is now a National Scenic Byway (and a paved highway, btw). It’s one of the best places to spot wildlife on the North Shore.
The Gunflint Trail leads to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCA), a huge (1,090,000-acre) protected wilderness area within the Superior National Forest. The BWCA is made up of more than 1,000 lakes and streams joined by portages.
Hardcore nature lovers can camp and canoe and portage things amongst its pristine beauty. Less hardcore nature-loving persons can rent a cabin along the Gunflint Trail. I’ve done that a couple times; there are a number of beautiful inland lakes along the Trail.
Historic Naniboujou Lodge for tea
(125 miles north of Duluth)
I always have afternoon tea at the Naniboujou Lodge when spending time on the north shore. The lodge with its incredible painted dining room is a must-see, as far as I’m concerned. I never tire of that ceiling.
Brightly painted history
Named after a Cree spirit of the woods, Naniboujou was born in the twilight of the Jazz Age.
Wealthy Duluth businessmen planned an exclusive club and resort on 3,330 acres along the newly opened North Shore Highway. The club opened for business in 1929.
Charter members included Babe Ruth and Jack Dempsey.
Though plans included a golf course, swimming pool, tennis courts, and a marina, they only built a clubhouse. The club’s grandiose plans succumbed to the economic realities of the Great Depression, leading to foreclosure in 1935.
Much of the land became part of Judge C. R. Magney State Park, but the lakeshore property and lodge have remained in private hands.
The lodge’s decor has both Native American and Art Deco influences. Beautifully preserved, Naniboujou is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Come for tea
Served in the solarium complete with white lace doily, afternoon tea is an event. Please note: they do not serve brewed tea. Afternoon tea with tea bags—a bit shocking!
However, I’m willing to make concessions in the far north. The tea is still quite good. And the scones are marvelous, served with a nice raspberry jam and whipped cream (in lieu of clotted cream).
You get two very nice tea sandwiches and a delicious shortbread cookie. The solarium, furnished with comfy chairs, couches, and coffee tables, is lovely. It’s a pleasure to linger there and I’ve never felt rushed.
Pro tip: If you come for the afternoon tea, come straight into the dining room and talk to the host at the podium near the entrance. No need to wait in line at the busy registration desk, and if you do, they will merely send you to the podium. Lesson learned.
Grand Portage, Canada, Thunder Bay
(150+ miles north of Duluth)
We didn’t travel further north than Naniboujou this time, but Grand Portage and Canada are only a short distance away. It’s a beautiful drive I’ve taken in the past.
If you want to continue to road trip into Canada, Thunder Bay is 37 miles northeast of the border.
More Midwest Road Trips
- Southeast Kansas Road Trip: Best Stops include Route 66 & the Tallgrass Prairie
- Road trip to Madeline Island, one of the Apostle Islands on Lake Superior
- Camping & Hiking in Cascade River State Park
- Itasca State Park, home of the Mississippi headwaters
- Fun things to do in Kenosha, Wisconsin
- Fall ColorsDrive on the Wisconsin Great River Road
- Holiday visit to Wisconsin Rapids cranberry country
- Road Trip to Roseau MN on the Canadian border
More in Minnesota
- The Great Minnesota Get-Together, the Minnesota State Fair
- Summer Fun in the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden
- Lake Nokomis, a fabulous Minneapolis lake and neighborhood
- The Best Restaurants Near Lake Nokomis
- Romance Weekend at the Elliot Park Hotel
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Great post! I love trips like this. I often go hiking myself whenever possible.
The North Shore is one of my favorite places in the world. And so much I still need to explore especially north of Lutsen. So pinning for future reference.
So lovely to momentarily step into this transportive landscape even by simply looking at the pictures! 🙂 the foliage..the mist and the elements that come with it…. 😉
The Minnesota North Shore truly does feed my spirit. Thanks for stopping by!
Wow Cynthia! Great places to visit! I absolutely loved the photos from the rock shop! And the colorful Art Deco lodge (I won’t even pretend to spell it correctly) is so unique! What an interesting history.
Thanks for sharing!
Thank you Lannie for stopping by to read this post! I’m crazy about that rock shop, lol. Nanaboujou is really a historical treasure as well as a wonderful place to spend the afternoon having tea and scones. I’d love to stay there sometime. The North Shore is full of unique and quirky things like this, just part of why I love it so much!
Hi, Very Good Article. The whole article is wonderful and very helpful. Keep up the Good Work Thanks for always sharing.
Imran Khan
Glad you enjoyed it!
What a beautiful place for a road trip! It looks like so much fun too! This is a great post! I’m so glad I subscribed to your blog.
You do a fantastic job!! That sunset….
Thank you, Sharon! Driving along the North shore really is beautiful all the way. And hanging on the beach is the best part.
We felt like we rode along with the two of you on this trip!
What a beautiful region – a wonderful destination for nature, adventure and food (candy!) lovers for sure!
(Oh! And the rocks are amazing too!)
Thanks, guys, I would love it if the two of you were riding along with us! We could have so much fun, eating candy, hanging on the beach, and toodling around Grand Marais. xox
Seems like such a fun and diverse trip! Nature, candy, tea, rocks oh my! Love reading about your travels Cynthia! Especially since I don’t travel much 🤗
Thank you, Paolo, I always appreciate your taking the time to come by my blog. There really are a variety of joys along the North Shore!
Wow! What a great trip Cynthia. The candy, the afternoon tea (my favorite) and all the stops along the way. Now that we’re a bit closer we’ll need to make this roadtrip.
Sue, you really should! Though some people like that Wisconsin side (!) I don’t think you can beat some of the wonders on the Minnesota side. Either way, get on over to this Great Lake. Thanks so much for reading and sharing 🙂
Wait till I tell the rest of my family that we’ve got stones named after us! (My family name is Thomson and I thought we were all Scottish so it’s fascinating to find the name over in America) This looks like a fascinating road trip with lots of excellent foodie stops. Saving this for a visit for sure! Thanks for sharing on #FarawayFiles
Not just any stones, either, valuable and rare ones! I really love Thomsonite. Thanks for stopping by, Clare!
Such a delightful post. Such wonderful photographs. Loved the colourful historic lodge. And to have tea there!!!!! So much fun reading, can imagine the pleasure of being there #farawayfiles
Thank you so much, Usha. Having afternoon tea at Naniboujou is always a highlight of a trip up the North Shore.
I’ve been reading up on Duluth and the North Shore of Lake Superior lately, so this post was a great find! Especially with all the great information on the candy stores… as if I needed another excuse to visit. #FarawayFiles
Candy, so important 😉 Duluth is a great place to visit, and I love going further north even more. Thanks for reading!
I think I need to make a trip to the Great Lakes! Great post!
Thank you! I hope you do come and visit the Great Lakes, especially Superior, which is the best one (not biased at all) 😉
This sounds like a delightful road trip! Chocolate, gorgeous views, and fun activities on the Great Lakes! My mom’s family is from Northern New York so I’ve been visiting the Lakes and St. Lawrence my whole life. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much for stopping by, Kelly! Chocolate is ALWAYS good, and so many other kinds of candy, too. Aren’t the Great Lakes the greatest? (pun intended—sorta.) I just learned about the St. Lawrence seaway when writing this post. It’s always interesting to learn more history.
What a great road trip! I love rocks, too; I’d have a hard time leaving that store. But everything else sounds amazing, and what a gorgeous setting! Tea time at the lodge with that amazing colorwork on the ceiling sounds great, too; and the candy shop soundslike a perfect stop. Great post, makes me want to visit that part of the country 🙂 Thanks for sharing your experience!
Yay, a fellow rockhound! If you love rocks you should come up to the North Shore, great place to rock hunt! Thanks for stopping by, Emese.
Looks like you had a fun road trip in Minnesota. Some lovely nature plus a great candy store stop – a great combo 😉
Candy plus anything is a great combo, but candy plus the North Shore really tops my list. Thanks for stopping by, Jessica!
I love road trips and it seems the one you took around the North Shore of Lake Superior was a great choice. I’ve never been in this area and had no idea how beautiful it is. You made me really curious about visiting it. #TheWeeklyPostcard
Thank you, Anda, it really is a beautiful place and I find so much serenity up there. Love road tripping for all the stops, especially candy 😉
What a fantastic road trip. I’m very interested in the candy you called “mint meltaway” I’ve never heard of such a thing but it sounds intriguing. I also love homemade fudge – particularly the stuff thats more buttery than sugary. And that ceiling – WOW! Now I’m getting some ideas for my next bit of home decorating! Gorgeous.
Whaaaaa is the mint meltaway Minnesotan? It’s minty and it melts in your mouth! They had some good fudge, Bee ate that, I ate the toffee. That would be quite the thing for your next interior design project, keep me posted on that one! Thank you for reading 😉 xoxo
Lake Superior looks beautiful!! Would love to see the Great Lakes one day! Thanks for linking up with #TheWeeklyPostcard!
Give us a spin when you’re in the U.S., Lorelei! The Great Lakes really are beautiful, and I may be a bit biased, but Superior is the best 😉
Looks like a great place for a roadtrip. $25 at a candy store is nothing! I spent $100 buying chocolate in Brussels! I am surprised Bee doesn’t like toffee, but yes that means more for you. Looking forward to reading about the camping, glad to know you kept the candy safe! Thanks for sharing on #TheWeeklyPostcard
Thanks Anisa, I always enjoy the Weekly Postcard community! You’ve got me beat on chocolate spending, but don’t become complacent, I’m going to be sure to be more extravagant in future 😉
I’ve not ventured that far north in Minnesota, so I learned a thing or two here. What a gorgeous and unique ceiling in that lodge! I just had to spend a few minutes taking in that one photo. To see it in person…wow! That Bolivean amethyst was also an eyeful, and it’s just as well to be a museum piece. Who could afford it, and who could lift a 550 lb. object to take out to the car/SUV? (Joking) #TheWeeklyPostcard
Hi Deborah! Well, I’d be willing to give getting it in the car a try, lol. Or maybe a smaller one would be better. The paintwork in the Naniboujou dining room really is gorgeous, and is always a fresh surprise. Thanks for reading!
Lovely pics – I don’t know much about this area at all. Looks like a lovely place to meader a bit #WeeklyPostcard
Thanks, Lydia! I love to spend a whole week up here whenever I can, but any time is good time on the North Shore.
I’m all in for Naniboujou Lodge for tea and scones even if they don’t brew their own tea. I liked the interesting story about the exclusive club that never materialized as a result of the depression even with the famous Babe Ruth and Jack Dempsey as charter members. Also Grand Marais is up my alley. I would love perusing the art galleries and antique shops but you would have to drag me out of the book stores first. Additionally, I love the bears and I would have had my photo taken as a bear too. As usual Cynthia, I enjoy your informative posts lightened with humor.
My dear Dorothy, thank you for your always thoughtful comments and your continued support! I think you would enjoy the afternoon tea at Naniboujou, and you’d love Grand Marais! I know you like browsing around in little shops 🙂 To get the bear photo you’d have to crouch down to kid size but I’m you’d be up for it, you’re always up for an adventure!
Perfectly delightful blog with just the right blend of education, entertainment, beauty, and a few helpful hints. <3
Thanks very much, Deb! That’s good news coming from an educator 🙂
There’s so much to do there. Thanks for sharing I didn’t know about the area. Your photos also look lovely.
Hi, Nikki! It really is a beautiful place. You know all about amazing shorelines in Cape Town, we should do a cultural exchange program 🙂
Ha ha ha yes I’m surrounding by beaches. Once again thanks for your great post 😊
Love your post! So much fun to read, and love all the beautiful pictures. I always learn something new from your blog. Looking forward to the next one!
Thanks, much appreciated. I always learn something new too 😉 I am encouraged to get going on my new post!
Hello, Cynthia. Really nice write. Never been to Minnesota and the pictures looked refreshing. Plan on looking more at your site.
Thank you so much! I’m enjoying perusing your site as well 😊 maybe I can convince you to visit Minnesota!
Very very detailed post. I’ll be honest I didn’t know much about the area till now, and had to pull up a map. (I lived in Chicago so I should know) But that’s irrelevant. It was all very engaging and an enjoyable read. Thank you
Thanks so much for reading! That’s funny, I was just over at your site reading about Eger. I really want some marzipan now. The North Shore is my happy place; I find so much serenity there.
It’s funny but that’s the second time today that I was commenting on someone’s blog and they were on mine at the same time.
Hope there is a good marzipan place nearby to help you out. Maybe on the north shore. I have the same serenity from Wicklow in Ireland, it’s where I go to escape when city life becomes too much.
What a great post! That sunset! That candy shop! Tea and scones! And plenty of pics of some beautiful country. And, of course, some great shots of you and Bee (quite the ham in that bear cut-out). So glad we were able to meet up while I’m MN. Btw, I was cracking up at your comment about the toffee. Mine is anything with peanut butter. Lynn’s allergic. All mine!!!! 😛
Thank you, Justin. You’re too kind 😘 It’s so beautiful there, so easy to take lots of photos. Bee’s always hamming it up. So glad we could meet up, too!! If Great Lakes Candy Kitchen has peanut butter cups I know what to get you for your birthday 😂
All for me!!!!!! 😀